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Goodall's boxing star on the rise

Ian McCullough

Former junior representative Australian Rules footballer Joseph Goodall is targeting Commonwealth super-heavyweight gold following his shock qualification for the Glasgow Games.

The 18-year-old Queenslander caused a huge boilover at the national championships in Perth in April by defeating London Olympian Johan Linde for a place in the final against Willis Meehan.

The big-punching Meehan, who makes his NRL debut for the Sydney Roosters this Saturday, was odd-on favourite to beat Goodall and book a place for Glasgow only to go down in a unanimous points defeat.

It capped a remarkable rise for Goodall, who only took up boxing four years ago after a hip flexor problem halted any hopes of reaching the AFL, having carved out a reputation as talented on-baller with the Western Taipens in the Queensland Rep Cup competition.

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"Footy was my main focus and building towards getting to the draft but between the ages of 15-16 I just kept getting injured," Goodall told AAP.

"My dad played for Port Adelaide in the SANFL - he then got the chance to play for Richmond in the VFL and really got me into the football as a kid."

But that football experience certainly didn't go to waste in his new sport where he's impressed the Australian coaches with his agility and speed which belies his towering 193cm, 103kg frame.